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Bacteria fall under 2 categories based on their cell wall, either Gram positive or Gram negative. The bacterial cell wall is composed of peptidoglycan.

A special staining technique called Gram staining is used to differentiate between these bacteria. Gram positive bacteria, containing a thick layer of peptidoglycan, will retain/absorb more of the crystal violet dye and appear purple/blueish after being stained. Gram negative bacteria contain an outer membrane which Gram positive bacteria do not. Also the peptidoglycan layer is much thinner compared to that of a Gram positive bacteria. This thinner layer will not absorb as much of the crystal violet dye as compared to the Gram positive bacteria. When a counterstain is added, the Gram negative bacteria will appear reddish/pinkish.

Cliff notes

Bacteria classified as either

- Gram Positive

-Gram Negative

Gram Positive

- No outer membrane

- Thick layer of peptidoglycan

- Will appear purple when stained

Gram negative

- Contain an outer membrane

- Thin layer of peptidoglycan

- Will appear reddish/pink when stained

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13y ago
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5mo ago

The presence or absence of a cell wall is a key characteristic used in classifying bacteria. Bacteria are classified into two major groups based on their cell wall structure: Gram-positive bacteria have a thick peptidoglycan layer in their cell wall, while Gram-negative bacteria have a thinner peptidoglycan layer surrounded by an outer membrane. This classification helps scientists differentiate between different types of bacteria.

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10y ago

The cell wall aids in classifying bacteria through the various shapes that they take. The three main shapes of bacteria are rods, helices and spheres.

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Q: How does the cell wall aid in classifying bacteria?
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